The Devonsville Terror (1983)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Ulli Lommel

Writers:

George T. Lindsey (screenplay)
Ulli Lommel (screenplay)

Release Date:

October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Dr. Worley investigates a 300-year-old witch's curse in the New England town of Devonsville. Three liberated...

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Curse | Revenge | Reincarnation | New England

Cast

Suzanna Love	...	Jenny Scanlon
Robert Walker Jr.	...	Matthew Pendleton (as Robert Walker)
Donald Pleasence	...	Dr. Warley
Paul Willson	...	Walter Gibbs
Mary Walden	...	Chris
Deanna Haas	...	Monica
Wally Flaherty	...	Priest
Michael Accardo	...	Ralph Pendleton
Bill Dexter	...	Aaron Pendleton
Priscilla Lowe	...	Myrtle Pendleton
Angelica Rebane	...	Angel Pendleton
Paul Bentzen	...	Executioner
Morrigan Hurt	...	Witch I
Barbara Cihlar	...	Witch II
Leslie Smith	...	Witch III

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 (VHS rating) | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

New West Films

Movie Connections:

Featured in Zombie Nation (2004)

some good scenes, a lot of missing information

Three women are killed, by pigs, a burning wagon wheel, and a burning at the stake, for witchcraft. Whether they were really witches or not is not clear, though as I've read someone else point out: there is a curse on the Doctor's family that appears to be real.

The Doctor, played by Donald Pleasance, has maggots poking out of his skin that he plucks out with tweezers. He continues to practice even though this doesn't seem very hygienic. He'd like to end the curse (understandably), but it's unclear what he does towards that end. He hypnotizes some people so that they remember their past lives, or their ancestors' lives, or maybe he's implanting suggestions.

Three women arrive in town about simultaneously: a radio host, an environmentalist, and a school teacher. The townspeople mostly don't like them, and begin to think they are witches, partly misunderstanding the women, partly making up lies about them.

There are some good scenes, and while a bit slow, its main fault seems to be holes in the story. There's a lot of information missing that is not of the sort that can be left as mysteries.

There's a really terrible demon or devil face that appears a few times. It looks sort of like what Bill Paxton's character turns into in Weird Science. There's also some bad voice-over at the beginning and end that is evidently supposed to be by the Doctor (Donald Pleasance), but sounds more like Kiefer Sutherland (who is not in the movie).